The 20th edition of the BC Bike Race delivered everything the legendary Canadian stage race is known for: world-class singletrack, unpredictable weather, hero dirt, and a stacked field of riders battling it out across seven unforgettable days (including multiple world XC champion Nino Schurter!).
Representing Kona aboard their Hei Hei's, Hannah Simms and Ethan Pauly both put together impressive rides throughout the week. Simms steadily climbed the overall standings after opening the race with a fourth-place finish before finding the podium on multiple stages. By the halfway point, she had moved into third overall, and after a string of consistently strong performances, she entered the final stage sitting second in the general classification.
The race would come down to the wire. On the final day, Simms sprinted for the stage win, ultimately crossing the line in second place by the narrowest of margins. More importantly, she secured second place overall in the final BC Bike Race standings, capping off an outstanding week of racing against some of the best riders in the discipline.
Simms reflected on a week of close racing and memorable trails following the finish.
“The MTB stoke is high! It was such an exciting seven days of racing awesome trails with a strong field of female riders,” said Simms. “I wasn’t expecting so many sprint finishes, but it made for some incredibly fun and competitive racing all week long.”
“The incredible trails, communities, and people make BCBR such a special experience. I can’t wait for the 2027 edition and the return to some iconic BCBR destinations.”
For Pauly, the week was defined by consistency and resilience. The Canadian rider remained firmly in the top ten throughout the race despite suffering a costly rear tire failure on stage five that saw him lose nearly 20 minutes. Refusing to let the setback define his race, Pauly fought back over the final stages to secure eighth place overall.
“BCBR was such a special week to be part of,” said Pauly. “Spending seven days on home trails racing with incredible competition was really amazing. The community was so welcoming and it seemed like everyone had a story about Kona in some shape or form. The bike was fantastic all week and saved me from mishaps more than a few times. This was one of the best weeks of the year.”
Congratulations to Hannah and Ethan on an incredible week of racing and a fitting send-off to one of mountain biking's most iconic stage races.
We'd like to give a huge shout-out to Kona's team sponsors Maxxis, Shimano, Giro, Fox, Easton, and WTB
